Orange Stopped by Miami Despite Third-Set Rally

Friday, November 11

7 pm

Syracuse University

7-18, 6-9ACC

Miami

12-15, 6-9ACC

Miami

Syracuse

11/11/2016 10:19:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

‘Cuse and Canes split season series

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Trailing two sets to one after a dominant third set, the Syracuse volleyball team was unable to push the game to a fifth set as the Orange were defeated by Miami, 3-1, on Friday night at the Women's Building.

'Cuse (7-18, 6-9 ACC) hung with the Canes until the very end of the first set and tallied a 10-point win in the third, but Miami (12-15, 6-9 ACC) converted the second and fourth sets to claim the victory in four games (25-22, 25-16, 15-25, 25-19).

"The day before the game, I told them, "They are going to come with a lot of energy… they cannot wait for the win," head coach Leonid Yelin said of Miami's strive for revenge after falling to the Orange, 3-1, in Coral Gables, Fla., earlier this season.

"There was so much concern with ourselves and our serve receive," Yelin said. "Our players were still digesting what was happening instead of just putting it behind them."

Despite defensive trouble with 10 serve-receive errors, the Orange were strong on offense with a trio of players tallying double-digit kills on the night, as sophomore Anastasiya Gorelina had a team-high 12, and junior Leah Levert and freshman Mackenzie Weaver had 10 apiece.

The two clubs battled through the first set point-for-point, until the Canes were able to pull away at the end to win set one, 25-22.

Set two proved a different story for the Orange, as a 5-0 Miami run sealed the deal midway through the game and the Canes came out on top, 25-16.

Gorelina tallied seven kills in the third game alone, the only set that the Orange claimed. Syracuse won the third game, 25-15, thanks to an 8-1 run to push the fourth set.

'Cuse kept the fourth game close, tying the score eight times before the Canes were able to pull away with a 6-1 run to close out set four, 25-19, and win the match, 3-1.

Sophomore Santita Ebangwese led the Orange in blocking efforts on the night with five assisted stops at the net, while junior Belle Sand tallied 12 digs to lead the team.

Syracuse returns to the Women's Building on Sunday to host #18 Florida State for a 1 p.m. match.

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